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Robert Clayton Shantz (born September 26, 1925) is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through , and won the 1952 American League Most Valuable Player Award as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics. A three-time All-Star, Shantz won eight consecutive Gold Glove Awards and won a World Series championship with the 1958 New York Yankees. He is the last living Philadelphia Athletics player, the oldest living MLB MVP, and the only living player who debuted in MLB in the 1940s.
He also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and the Philadelphia Phillies. Shantz began his career as a starting pitcher, but about halfway through he converted to a competent relief pitcher. In 1951, he added the knuckleball to his repertoire. Standing only , Shantz had a career record of 119 games won, 99 games lost, and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.38.
On February 19, 1957, the Athletics traded Shantz, Art Ditmar, Wayne Belardi, Jack McMahan, and players to be named later (PTBNL) to the New York Yankees for Rip Coleman, Milt Graff, Billy Hunter, Mickey McDermott, Irv Noren, Tom Morgan, and a PTBNL. The Yankees sent Jack Urban to the Athletics and the Athletics sent Curt Roberts and Clete Boyer to the Yankees to complete the trade. He led the league in ERA in his first year with the Yankees, but was never a regular starting pitcher afterwards.
A highly skilled fielder, Shantz won eight consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1957 to 1964 (American League, 1957–60; National League, 1961–64; in 1957 the award was rendered for both leagues). Shantz also was selected for the All-Star Game in 1951, 1952 and 1957. In the fifth and final inning of the 1952 All Star Game, the left–handed Shantz exhibited his distinctive sidearm delivery and sharp curve and control and struck out three consecutive National League hitters: Whitey Lockman, Jackie Robinson and Stan Musial.
Shantz appeared in relief three games each in the 1957 and 1960 World Series with the Casey Stengel managed New York Yankees. Shantz was selected in the 1960 MLB expansion draft by the Washington Senators from the New York Yankees; the Senators then traded Shantz to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Bennie Daniels, Harry Bright, and R. C. Stevens. The Houston Astros selected Shantz from the Pirates in the 1961 MLB expansion draft. As the Colt .45s Opening Day starting pitcher during their inaugural season, he became the first pitcher in franchise history, and tossed a complete game as Houston defeated the Chicago Cubs, 11–2. On May 7, 1962, the Colt .45s traded Shantz to the St. Louis Cardinals for John Anderson and Carl Warwick.
On June 15, 1964, the Cardinals traded Shantz, Ernie Broglio, and Doug Clemens to the Chicago Cubs for Lou Brock, Jack Spring, and Paul Toth. The Cubs sold Shantz to the Philadelphia Phillies in August 1964. He retired after the 1964 season.
In his 16-year major league career, Shantz recorded a .195 batting average (107-for-548) with 60 runs, 20 doubles, one home run, 46 runs batted in and 47 walks. Defensively, he posted a .976 fielding percentage which was 19 points higher than the league average at his position.
Shantz became the last surviving player who played under Connie Mack after the death of Bill Harrington in 2022, and the last living player to debut in MLB in the 1940s after the death of Tommy Brown in 2025. Following the death of Art Schallock in March 6, 2025, Shantz became the second-oldest living MLB player after Bill Greason and the oldest living World Series champion.
Personal life
He is the brother of former Major League catcher Billy Shantz. He is married to Shirley Vogel, and they have four children, Bobby, born in 1954, followed by Kathy, Teddy, and Danny, born in 1965.
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Categories: 1925 Births, Living People, American League All-stars, American League Era Champions, American League Most Valuable Player Award Winners, American League Wins Champions, American People Of German Descent, Chicago Cubs Players, Gold Glove Award Winners, Houston Colt .45s Players, Kansas City Athletics Players, 20th-century American Sportsmen, Knuckleball Pitchers, Lincoln A's Players, Major League Baseball Pitchers, New York Yankees Players, Baseball Players From Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Athletics Players, Philadelphia Phillies Players, Pittsburgh Pirates Players, St. Louis Cardinals Players
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